Change in fertiliser consumption from 1997/1999 to 2030http://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/figures/change-in-fertiliser-consumption-from-1997-1999-to-2030
International comparisonNo publisherEEA standard re-use policy: unless otherwise indicated, re-use of content on the EEA website for commercial or non-commercial purposes is permitted free of charge, provided that the source is acknowledged (http://www.eea.europa.eu/legal/copyright). Copyright holder: European Environment Agency (EEA).agriculturefertilisersbelgrade2009/11/12 11:44:05 GMT+1FigureChange in fertiliser consumption from 2000 to 2002http://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/figures/change-in-fertiliser-consumption-from-2000-to-2002
International comparisonNo publisherEEA standard re-use policy: unless otherwise indicated, re-use of content on the EEA website for commercial or non-commercial purposes is permitted free of charge, provided that the source is acknowledged (http://www.eea.europa.eu/legal/copyright). Copyright holder: European Environment Agency (EEA).agriculturefertilisersbelgrade2009/11/12 14:38:59 GMT+1FigureChange in aggregated emissions of methane and nitrous oxide (ktonnes CO2 equivalent) from agriculture 1990-2002 (EU-15 Member States)http://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/figures/change-in-aggregated-emissions-of-methane-and-nitrous-oxide-ktonnes-co2-equivalent-from-agriculture-1990-2002-eu-15-member-states
Emissions from agricultural transport and energy use are excluded, as these sectors are not defined as part of the agriculture sector by the current IPCC guidance.No publisherEEA standard re-use policy: unless otherwise indicated, re-use of content on the EEA website for commercial or non-commercial purposes is permitted free of charge, provided that the source is acknowledged (http://www.eea.europa.eu/legal/copyright). Copyright holder: European Environment Agency (EEA).irenaagriculture2009/11/12 19:23:28 GMT+1FigureCatalogue of forward-looking indicators from selected sources; A contribution to the forward-looking component of a shared environmental information system (SEIS/Forward)http://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/technical_report_2008_8
Work on reviewing the availability of forward-looking indicators started in 2005, with the aim of enhancing their use in European environmental assessments. This work has resulted in an overview of the availability of forward-looking information (scenarios and indicators) across all themes and with various geographical coverage.No publisherseisbiodiversityair pollutionterrestrial ecosystemsclimate changeenergywaterforward-looking indicatorstourismmaterial flowswasteagriculturetransportsocio-economy2008/10/07 03:00:00 GMT+1PublicationCarbon uptake by forestshttp://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/climate/multimedia/carbon-uptake-by-forests/view
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The uptake of carbon from the atmosphere by natural vegetation, soils, forests and agricultural land ('terrestrial biosphere') is an important part of the carbon cycle. Carbon uptake by vegetation can lessen the increasing concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere and in Europe can be increased by planting forests and other land management measures. But the additional potential storage capacity for the EU in forestry and agriculture is estimated to be relatively small, and climate change may cause more fires, pests and storm damage as well as increasing water stress, particularly in the Mediterranean area. These conditions would curtail plant growth and reduce the amount of carbon stored in the biosphere.
Source: EEA Report No 2/2004 "Impacts of Europe's changing climate" (published 18 Aug 2004)No publisherclimate change impactsclimate change mitigationclimate changecarbon uptakecarbon cycleagricultureforests2006/02/02 00:00:00 GMT+1FileBioenergy production must use resources more efficientlyhttp://www.eea.europa.eu/media/newsreleases/bioenergy-production-must-use-resources
Using biomass for energy is an important part of the renewable energy mix. However, bioenergy production should follow EU resource efficiency principles, according to a new report from the European Environment Agency (EEA). This means extracting more energy from the same material input, and avoiding negative environmental effects potentially caused by bioenergy production. ‘Bioenergy’ refers to energy uses of any kind of biomass, whether for heating, power generation or transport. The report, ‘EU bioenergy from a resource efficiency perspective’, primarily looks at the potential for energy from agricultural land, although it includes forest and waste biomass in the overall analysis.

In 2010 bioenergy was the source of approximately 7.5 % of energy used in the EU. This is foreseen to rise to around 10 % by 2020, or approximately half of the projected renewable energy output, according to EU Member States’ National Renewable Energy Plans.

Bioenergy should be produced in line with EU objectives to use resources more efficiently, the report says. This means reducing the land and other resources needed to produce each unit of bioenergy and avoiding environmental harm from bioenergy production. According to the EEA analysis, the most efficient energy use of biomass is for heating and electricity as well as advanced biofuels, also called ‘second generation’ biofuels. First generation transport biofuels, for example, biodiesel based on oilseed rape or ethanol from wheat, are shown to be a far less efficient use of resources.

Building on previous analysis, the report shows that the current energy crop mix is not favourable to the environment. The report recommends a broader mix of crops to reduce environmental impacts. Specifically, this should include perennial crops, which are not harvested annually – for example energy grasses or short rotation willow plantations. This would enhance, rather than harm, ‘ecosystem services’ provided by farmland – such as flood prevention and water filtration.

Bioenergy is often considered ‘carbon neutral’, as the carbon dioxide released in combustion is assumed to be compensated by the CO2 absorbed during plant growth. However, as shown in this report, indirect land use change can negate any greenhouse gas savings from biofuel production based on energy crops. This is due to the displacement of crop production onto previously unused land, which can lead to the conversion of forests and savannah to agriculture. Such land use change harms biodiversity and increases greenhouse gas emissions.

Hans Bruyninckx, EEA Executive Director, said: “Bioenergy is an important component of our renewable energy mix, helping to ensure a stable energy supply. But this study highlights the fact that forest biomass and productive land are limited resources, and part of Europe’s ‘natural capital’. So it is essential that we consider how we can use existing resources efficiently before we impose additional demands on land for energy production.”

Bioenergy in 2020 – exploring different options

The report develops three different ‘storylines’ with varying technological, economic and policy assumptions. This helps explore different future options, illustrating which bioenergy types are most resource-efficient and which have the lowest environmental impact. The main conclusions of this analysis are below:

The EEA has revised its estimate of potential bioenergy production in the EU first published in 2006, reducing the estimate by approximately 40 %. The estimate was revised due to changes in scientific understanding, the changed EU policy framework and accounting for economic factors.

Different biomass-to-energy conversion technologies vary significantly in their efficiency. For example, generating electricity by burning pure biomass is only approximately 30-35 % efficient, while burning the same material to produce heat is usually more than 85 % efficient. In general, using bioenergy for heat and power is a considerably more efficient way of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, compared to using bioenergy for transport fuel.

Different energy cropping systems can vary hugely in their productivity, as well as in environmental impacts. High-yielding systems with efficient conversion can deliver more than 20 times more energy compared to low-yielding inefficient systems using the same land area.

Current EU bioenergy policy only partially accounts for potentially adverse environmental effects connected to direct land‑use effects, including changes in land management. Additional policies could help reduce these environmental impacts, particularly regarding water resources and farmland biodiversity.

The countries with the largest estimated agricultural bioenergy potential in 2020 are France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Poland and Romania, the report says.

Extensively using mature trees for energy purposes may have a negative effect on the climate, due to the long time it takes for the trees to regrow and re-capture the CO2 that is released when wood is used for energy. This ‘carbon debt’ does not arise if bioenergy uses other forest biomass instead, for example branches left over from forest harvesting by-products or waste products from timber and paper production.

Using organic waste and agricultural or forestry residues as feedstock is more resource efficient than many other types of feedstock, as it does not add pressure on land and water resources and offers very high greenhouse gas savings.

]]>No publishergreenhouse gas emissionsrenewable energyenergyforestrybioenergyagriculturebiofuels2013/07/02 09:55:00 GMT+1Press ReleaseBeehiveshttp://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/figures/beehives
No publisherEEA standard re-use policy: unless otherwise indicated, re-use of content on the EEA website for commercial or non-commercial purposes is permitted free of charge, provided that the source is acknowledged (http://www.eea.europa.eu/legal/copyright). Copyright holder: European Environment Agency (EEA).biodiversityagriculture2007/09/20 01:00:00 GMT+1FigureAverage nitrogen surplus in the years 2000–2004 and 2005–2008 (kg N/ha agricultural land)http://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/figures/average-nitrogen-surplus-in-the
-No publisherEEA standard re-use policy: unless otherwise indicated, re-use of content on the EEA website for commercial or non-commercial purposes is permitted free of charge, provided that the source is acknowledged (http://www.eea.europa.eu/legal/copyright). Copyright holder: European Environment Agency (EEA).agriculturenitrogen2012/06/06 11:04:54 GMT+1FigureAverage irrigated land area as percent of agricultural land area (selected countries)http://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/figures/average-irrigated-land-area-as-percent-of-agricultural-land-area-selected-countries
Hectares of irrigated agricultural land expressed as percent of the total agricultural landNo publisherEEA standard re-use policy: unless otherwise indicated, re-use of content on the EEA website for commercial or non-commercial purposes is permitted free of charge, provided that the source is acknowledged (http://www.eea.europa.eu/legal/copyright). Copyright holder: European Environment Agency (EEA).irrigationagriculturelandbelgrade2009/11/12 20:26:27 GMT+1FigureAreas with relatively little influence from urbanisation, transport or intensive agriculturehttp://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/figures/areas-with-relatively-little-influence-from-urbanisation-transport-or-intensive-agriculture
Note: Based on EEA Land cover data per November 1997No publisherEEA standard re-use policy: unless otherwise indicated, re-use of content on the EEA website for commercial or non-commercial purposes is permitted free of charge, provided that the source is acknowledged (http://www.eea.europa.eu/legal/copyright). Copyright holder: European Environment Agency (EEA).natlanurbanagriculturebiodiversityland coverdismedgeographictransportcorine land cover2009/11/12 20:49:05 GMT+1FigureArea under permanent grassland in utilised agricultural area (UAA) in EU15 in 1995http://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/figures/area-under-permanent-grassland-in-utilised-agricultural-area-uaa-in-eu15-in-1995
No publisherEEA standard re-use policy: unless otherwise indicated, re-use of content on the EEA website for commercial or non-commercial purposes is permitted free of charge, provided that the source is acknowledged (http://www.eea.europa.eu/legal/copyright). Copyright holder: European Environment Agency (EEA).grasslandagricultureutilised agriculture area2009/11/12 19:47:52 GMT+1FigureArea of exits and entries from agriculture to natural/'semi-natural' landhttp://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/figures/area-of-exits-and-entries-from-agriculture-to-natural-semi-natural-land
No publisherEEA standard re-use policy: unless otherwise indicated, re-use of content on the EEA website for commercial or non-commercial purposes is permitted free of charge, provided that the source is acknowledged (http://www.eea.europa.eu/legal/copyright). Copyright holder: European Environment Agency (EEA).irenaagriculture2009/11/12 15:45:01 GMT+1FigureArea covered by each of the main irrigated cropshttp://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/daviz/area-covered-by-each-of
No publisherwaterirrigationgreen economycropswater efficiencywater productivityagriculturewater productivity water efficiency / agriculture / water / green economy / crops / irrigationData VisualizationAnnual trends in the concentrations of nitrates (mg/l) monitored in groundwater (1993 to 2002)http://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/figures/annual-trends-in-the-concentrations-of-nitrates-mg-l-monitored-in-groundwater-1993-to-2002
The numbers in brackets indicate the number of groundwater bodies.No publisherEEA standard re-use policy: unless otherwise indicated, re-use of content on the EEA website for commercial or non-commercial purposes is permitted free of charge, provided that the source is acknowledged (http://www.eea.europa.eu/legal/copyright). Copyright holder: European Environment Agency (EEA).irenaagriculture2009/11/12 21:45:56 GMT+1FigureAnnual trends in nitrate concentrations (mg/l) monitored in rivers (1992 to 2001)http://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/figures/annual-trends-in-nitrate-concentrations-mg-l-monitored-in-rivers-1992-to-2001
No publisherEEA standard re-use policy: unless otherwise indicated, re-use of content on the EEA website for commercial or non-commercial purposes is permitted free of charge, provided that the source is acknowledged (http://www.eea.europa.eu/legal/copyright). Copyright holder: European Environment Agency (EEA).irenaagriculture2009/11/12 20:52:58 GMT+1Figure